Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-02-26

"rhere II nothing the ma ter with the In.
exclaimed Mr.. Retainer, staring
at Au usuS
~ dare 8 y no., a. far as tho solicitors are
concern al" Au 'ustu, b,u-tsl ou,.
@Oie OF the Oldest and most respectable
6rms in Lon,lon " interrupted Mr.. Retainer
Indignantly. "What on earth are you driv-
ing al"
@W'l Imean, do wa think that the tes-
tutor has a the property to leave that he
sreaks Of" sad Augustus in desperation Il
b ve he,rt Of cases Of . man making q
shsm will"
Not through a firm liks Tap & Parch-
ment," cried Mr.. Retainer, quite scandal sed.
sWhat can have put such q notion into your
90 ,d"
@Nothing, exce,t that the tes.ator lives In
Camden Town-Hillirop Crescent. I know
Hill(rop Crescent slightly" added Au ustus
hastily. "They are c Nmpara,ively small
houses, and the neighborhood is not fashion
able"
M. Retainer looked rather amused. He
leaned b'ck in his chair q moment and re-
k,rded Augu-tu throu,h his sp,ctacles as
though IMPRESSED BY his sh.ewdn,s s. Au-
gustus did not bear the scrutiny very we'll,
Tor reasons that may b. imagined.
"When you are oder, Mr.. Nav, you will
earn that it is net always safe to Judge BY
APPEARANCES" he said, with a smile.
sThen you think. sir"
@Do not alarm yourse'f,s interrupted Mr..
Z ain r, turning impa,iently to his work.
IN. Taps explained to me the circum.
stances Of the case. 1t is all right"
Mr. Retail 'er dismissed Augustus with q
nod as he finished sp .aking. and the en'er-
'ri>ing student left the room with hi, douhts
completely set at rest. 1t seemed that Mr.,
Retainer had private reasons for knowing
that the will was trustworthy, and he was
not . man given to jesting. nor to speaking
without proper means Of knowledge. Au.
Eustua, therefore. resolved upon the spot to
ob'ain an intro iuc ion to Mr.. John Smith
without a moments delay.
THIS did not prove m IRE difficult than he
had antic ratei; In fact, the details Of his
conquest over the 81 >ceptible heart Of Miss
Arabella Smith are tho commonplace to
med describing. Safice it to say that Au-
gustus' fascinating manner. his fashionable
.ttir , and his performances upon tho Ger.
man f1uts combined to render him ~irresist.
iole.
The Smiths turned out to b q respectable
family. wit sout the least pretention to gen.
til ty. 1t was evident that Augustu. was
the nearest approach to q gentleman they
had over been acquainted with, and their
zrati6cetton at h.. polite attentions was UNI
aisgui ed. No doubt, the fact that he very
much exaggerated the amount Of his small
fortune assisted to facl itate his courtship
Did Nj. SIN tn. from tbs outset, seem d COLI
tent with the prospect Of securing him for a
son-in-iaw; and when Aucus,us, after q
: mparative.y short acquaintance, avowed
his Eas ion for Miss Arabel.a Smith, her
.athcr gave his consent Il the engagement
without hes .tation
Augustus was naturally elated By the sue.
cess. housh the naive v~ulcarity Of Miss
Arabella rather di,tr ssed HIM. But she
seeme a god homes. sort of gml-not
beautiful. certainly, yet fairly p~resentable.
Compared with the solid fact that she was
an he,ress. her ,ri6in . defects weighed very
l. .htlv With Angus US. The crumpled rose
'eaf VIII .ch d.>tur ed his happiness wat due
10 the ominous behavior of . rival, Mr..
Theodore Br,Ltleboue, whose attentions,
until Augustus had appeared upon the
scene. seemed 10 have been favoraUly re.
celved by Mis- Arabella.
Mr.. Theodore B%rittlehone was q guant
and gloomy youth, whose avoca ion was
L . AASSAAuX AZ u ware IIue. OaLL0l
enmity not unnaturally arose between him
and Augustus, which resulted In NJ. Brittle
bone icing requested " old Mr.. Smith to
discontinue his visits wien Mis-, Arabella,l
engagement was ammo lnced Mr.. Brittle.
bone accor ,lingly withdrew his society, bu,
he haunted the hou Re like a sh idow. HI
waylaid Augustus IN tue streets. accostin2
him with mock polite ,ess, and accusing
him with trifl.ng wi b Miss ARABIC las affec.
I 'ns. Occa ,lonallv his conduct became
violent. and lie once actually challenged
Augustus to fight it out like a man beneath
Q lamp post.
The unruly behavior and persistent perss
cution began to prey upon the n ,rves o.
Augustus. who, in addition to being q litlL
man, was not addicted to pugllism- He wa
painfully conscious that he was no mitch
for the bellicose Mr.. Bri tlebo .le. and he
was seriously a~ppreuensive for his persona
safety. But what worr Q | him even more
was that his rival cast doubts upon the
x,stencs o. old Mr.. Sml his reputed wealth
App rently Nj. Br:ttiebone. rendered keen
eyed by jealousy, OWNED the real cause oil
Augustus devotion. A all events, no neveI
wearied of %insinuating that be wa. &C
Quainted with Mr.. Jonn Smiths real cir
cumstances, In a tone and manner which
were painful ly suggestive. Au ,ustus fore.
bore to discuss tho subject with him
although these dark hints made him very
uneasy. He wa quite unable to fathom biz
Ia ure tather-in-law, W declined to he in
veiglad into conversali about b.. affairs.
But it was evident that this reticence wa.
constitutional, and was not assume for tn.
occasion Cd Mr.. Smith was nab.,ualIy
~taciturn AMI secretive and in this respec,
his conduct was quit. In keeping with
mtsrlv propensities. Au u,tus c~onsoled
himself with the reflection that none coul,
know better tlan himself the true state OF
the case, AMI endeIvore'' to 8 life his mis-.
givinxs by a,tributlng Nh. Brittlebone'.
%innuenhoes to envy and ignorance mingled
with jealousy.
Although Augustus duly announced his
en"agem mt 10 his friends. he did not fol
some time mention it to his fellow students
1t Mr.. Retainer's chambers. H, instinc.
lively guessed tnat Mr.. Retainer would sus
pect how the event came about, and there
fore, to avoid unpI asantness, be deemed il
prudent 10 hold his tongue. But af,e,
awhile the news leaked out, US all II. WIS will
and when Aucu tus was. one morning, re-
euesleL 70 go into Mr. Retainer's room, be
had q presentlment OF what was In 3 ore.
Good morning, Mr.. Maw," said Mr.. Re.
tainer, very st.fly. II lave sent for you
to ask If it be true, a. l hear. that you arr
engaged to be marriedr
Yes, sir; it is true" said Augustus ds.
family.
"Of course, l have nothing whatever te
do with your private affair."" resumed Mr..
Retainer. ''but It has occurred to mo that
may be IN q measure. ,nIocently respond
bic for what has taken place."
Il don't undels:anI,n said Augrs.us, red
dening.